The National tribune., 1887-04-14

lapplause1. and IL will be a shame and dis
grace 20 this land, TO the Government Of the
United States If this thing be not done. 1t is a
disgrace that will not rest upon the people OF
the United States many years.
j know il has been said, and it will be said
in the future. that this win cost great deal of
money. Well, suppose il does3 The boys that
have gone down the hill in life have earned
the money applausel; they and their comrades
have rendered this great State Of Kansas pOssi-
bic. They have rendered the great Northwest
possible. They have rendered the great rail-
way system Of this land possible. IL you had
failed in duty, God knows what would have
become of this dear land of ours The expense
is a mere bagatelle; il is SO little my friends,
that If the Government does not do il,
THE STATES WILL DO 1T;
and whore the States do not do il, God holp-
ing u.s. we will do il ourselves. CONTINUED
cheerngl j want 10 urge you with all the
power OF speech i can, not 10 allow this ques-
tion TO assume any form Of partisanship. Kill
IL dead in that shape; kill il dead. We must
keep that from our Order, or we go TO the wall.
Applause. IL you are a Democrat advocate
taking care Of the old soldiers that have fallen
by the wayside, and God will bless you.
lCheers. IL you are a Republican, advocate
the same theory, and God will bless you. You
do II as Grand Army men and as individuals,
and not as a partisan. Prolonged applause
Now Commander and comrades, j thank you
very much for inviting me 10 come TO your
Encampment j am glad j am here.
shall go away giving the very best ac-
count OF the Department of Kansas. i have
now covered nearly all Of the United
States in my travels, and i want TO say
10 you, comrades, that the Grand Army OF
the Republic is in most excellent shape
everywhere. [Applause. The same zeal aud
enthusiasm j find here with you i find in the
old Yankee States, and in the Middle States,
and in the Southern States. As your repre-
sentative ] have been in two or three portions
of the South and was well received everywhere.
OUR OLD ENEMIES IN THE FIELD
came to me as a Grand Army man and as your
representative and Here the speech was in
terrupted by delegates in all parts Of the house
crying: "Tell us about your trip down there"
Yes, tell rs about it, Tell us about your
trip'l Well, one moment, and will, though i
don't want TO take your time. Go on 90
on i went, as you know, 20 Charleston, as
your COmmander-in- Chief j think was in
spired to 60 IL seized hold Of me and /
couldn't get il out Of my head that ought 10
go and tell the men of Charleston that their old
friends Of the Union army who would have
beaten down their walls i'm 81 to '65 with great
pleasure, would now, God helping them, spring
TO their rescue and rear those lately-fallen
walls again. Applause. That they were not
their enemies in the least degree-they were
the enemies of disloyal men-that was all
[cheersl; that all other men are our friends
now Applause. j am glad did 90. was
received there in Just the spirit you would de-
sire your COMMANDMENTS Chief, as your repre-
sentative received.
III they had allowed us TO continue i'm our
collections for the earthquake suflerersl 30
days longer, have no doubt there would have
gone into their Golfers at least
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
But / give the people Of Charleston credit of
being exceedingly conscientious. The moment
they thought they had enough, nearly
enough, they telegraphed me 10 stop the cOllec-
tiOns; that there would be enough, and though
we had but fairly started. the order went forth
to stop collections. j went not long ago 10 Ten
nessee. We were received most Hospitality. In
Nashville public meeting was held, in which
three old Confederate officers that were active
in the Confederate service made rousing Union
speeches, not taking back anything but pledg-
ing for the future, and that is all we can ask
for. Cheers. Scores Of them came TO me at
the hotel TO call on me--not individually, but
as your representative. And they all seemed
TO recognize that the Grand Army Of the Re-
public is a great body of conservative citizens;
that we are not their enemies, but their friends
[Cheers. And in Little Rock, Ark, il was the
same thing again. At Hot Springs they gave
me reception and ball, and boys am awfully
afraid your Commander-in-Chef glanced for
you that night Applause and laughterl; and
although in Arkansas danced 20 the music
of the Union" Laughter From Nashville
a gentleman who was a General in the rebel
army-and he was a fine soldier-took our
party up TO the Mammoth Cave, took US four
miles from the surface, and tried TO lose US in
the bowels of the earth llaughterl: and il YOU
ever go near there advise you 10 see the cave.
j was sorry j couldn't 60 TO Florida, but ] was
compelled 10 60 North, and 60 into Ohio and
New York.
j hope when ] am "high private" in the
ranks again, comrades, when you have some
great Grand Army Of the Republic gathering
out here in Kansas-when men turn out by the
million-that somebody will invite me 10 come
ont [applausel, and until i meet you on such
occasion bid you good day. Prolonged ap-
plause.